A New Pairing: Cold Coffee and Whisky

Cold-brew and cold-drip coffees in cocktails are providing an alternative to the enduring Espresso Martini. We talk to a whisky expert about why the pairing works so well.

Black Pearl

Photography: Michael Woods

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Zephyr Bar

Photography: Jiwon Kim

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Zephyr Bar

Photography: Jiwon Kim

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Published on 06 December 2017

by Tomas Telegramma

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Espresso Martinis are ubiquitous. But in recent years a new trend has emerged out of bartenders and customers pushing past the blend of vodka, espresso and coffee liqueur in search of fresh ideas. Enter cold-drip and cold-brew cocktails.

“It’s been building for a while,” says Simon McGoram, owner of Neighbourhood in Sydney and National Whisky Ambassador for Diageo. “It’s grown from the popularity of the Espresso Martini. Having to create a shot of espresso to-order behind a busy bar is not always practical. It also doesn’t keep very well. But cold brew or cold drip improves after sitting in the fridge. A lot of bars actually turned to using cold brew [to make their Espresso Martinis] anyway.”

He says now with commercial cold-brew and cold-drip coffees widely available, people have started drinking them more at home. At the same time, whisky has seen a huge growth in popularity in Australia. So it was only a matter of time before the two came together: “It’s a natural progression for bartenders to explore what flavours go with it.”

Why whisky?
Part of the reason the pairing works so well is each drink’s inherent complexity. The trick is getting the balance right. “The more intense the coffee, the more intense the whisky you want to pair with it,” says McGoram. “They need to work together.”

In the hands of bartenders searching for fresh ideas, this has made for some interesting creations. “Cold-brew Negronis have been around for a few years,” says McGoram. “One of my favourite variations is a whisky Boulevardier. It’s like a whisky Negroni with a bit of cold brew in there. I’ve also seen cold-coffee being used with rich, intense single malt whiskies like Lagavulin.”

The complexity of the pairing also means whisky-led cold-brew and cold-drip-based drinks can work without intervention. “Just a shot of whisky, cold-brew or cold-drip coffee, ice and maybe a twist of lemon works well,” says McGoram.

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As can they side-by-side: “In the same way smelling coffee beans [between fragrances] helps reset your nose, sipping cold-brew or cold-drip between whiskies can help reset the tastebuds. It’s quite subtle and it works as a nice contrast.”

Sugar not necessary
McGoram says another reason for the growing trend is bartenders and consumers are turning away from overly sugary cocktails. “For a long time you’d see daiquiris being whizzed up in a blender with three different liqueurs and loads of syrup,” says McGoram. “But as [drinking culture] gets a little more sophisticated, people don’t need sugar to disguise the alcohol in a beverage. People want to be able to taste the base spirit because we’re drinking better-quality spirits than we used to.”
This natural lack of bitterness in the pairing makes it well-suited to summer. “It has a cleaner, more refreshing flavour and is quite approachable,” says McGoram. “That’s why the pairing works so well – whisky gives it great character. As well as being served over ice, the varied flavours in the coffee – like fruit, cherry, lemongrass, citrus, peach and caramel – can shine.”

Some of Australia’s best bars are embracing this trend for summer and curating a selection of cold-brew and cold-drip drinks specially tailored to whisky. Here’s where to try them.